# Spiny Norman Helps Save LAPD Detective Maimed In NY's Eve Motorcycle Crash \[Edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 4, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855 "2014-01-04T06:06:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/1 "2014-01-04T06:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > A Los Angeles police detective who specializes in rescuing teenage prostitutes from the clutches of their pimps lost a portion of his leg in a New Year’s Day crash in Redondo Beach, authorities said Friday. > > Detective Shaun King, who was riding a motorcycle with his 11-year-old daughter, Mackenzie, on the seat behind him, might have had his life saved by a male nurse passing by. The nurse, using another man’s belt as tourniquet, reduced blood flow from King’s leg, witnesses and police said. > > “There are a number of people who we are going to say, ‘Thank you’ [to]” said Lt. Andre Dawson, King’s supervisor at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit. “That person was Shaun’s guardian.” … > > **Thomas Klausen** shifted from father to daughter to reassure them each was alive. > > “They were crying out for each other,” he said, adding that King began to pray. > > Klausen, trained for emergency responses at community disasters, brought out his first-aid kit and handed gloves to the nurse tying the tourniquet. > > Mia McGlynn, a resident who hurried from her home when she heard the “super loud” crash, said the action saved King’s life. > > “He would have totally bled to death,” McGlynn said. That’s my hero and our own **Spiny Norman**. He did a bit more than what’s reported here, but it’s nice to see him get credit for helping in this gruesome accident. It was not easy to stomach, I can tell you that. We’re just glad both people survived. I’ve been worried sick and information has been difficult to come by, I guess because the victims were a police officer and his minor daughter. I did learn that the officer went into a coma, which he came out of yesterday. The little girl had surgery this morning, probably to have her leg set. What the reporter didn’t put in the story was that her femur was protruding from her leg, which could easily have been severed like her father’s was. Seeing a section of his leg just laying in the road, and his boot about five feet away (and knowing the foot was still in it) was so disgusting. I got the attention of one of the responding officers, pointed it out to him and asked if anyone was going to retrieve it, and he just said, “Uhm, no,” and walked away. [“There is part of a person’s leg in the middle of the road in front of our house.”](https://www.facebook.com/jill.w.klausen/posts/739863662690895) Wear protective gear, people. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/2 "2014-01-04T06:11:55Z")
Oh fudge, I forgot to put the link to the quoted article in the OP. Here it is: > **[LAPD detective maimed in New Year’s Day motorcycle crash in Redondo Beach](https://www.dailybreeze.com/2014/01/03/lapd-detective-maimed-in-new-years-day-motorcycle-crash-in-redondo-beach/)** > > A Los Angeles police detective who specializes in rescuing teenage prostitutes from the clutches of their pimps lost a portion of his leg in a New Year’s Day crash in Redondo Beach, authorit… ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/3 "2014-01-04T06:27:22Z")
Good for **spiny Norman** for doing his part to help. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/4 "2014-01-04T06:53:50Z")
What’s also great is that these days this doesn’t have to be a career killer for the cop. Way to go, **Spiny**! ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/5 "2014-01-04T07:17:35Z")
Minors shouldn’t be allowed on motorcycles. If adults want to needlessly risk life and limb, so be it. Though it’s legal, I think it’s reckless to take a kid on a motorcycle. When you consider the legal requirements for child safety devices in automobiles, it’s insane that they’re allowed on motorcycles at all. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/6 "2014-01-04T15:38:05Z")
Kudos, **Spiny Norman** and **Shayna**! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/7 "2014-01-04T15:45:28Z")
Hooray, **Spiny**! ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/8 "2014-01-04T15:50:04Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Wear protective gear, people. Was he not? And way to go, Norman! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/9 "2014-01-04T16:18:15Z")
Go **Spiny**! Go **Shayna**! Go **Spiny**! Go **Shayna**! WOOT! ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/10 "2014-01-04T16:19:34Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Was he not? > > And way to go, Norman! 🆒 From the reports, apparently helmets were worn. With that kind of impact probably the difference to make it survivable at all – regular street riding gear may not have made for much else, even pro gear may only have contained the mangled limbs in one place. Good work, **Spiny Norman**. But damn what a terrible way to ring in the year. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/11 "2014-01-04T16:54:34Z")
Good job! ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/12 "2014-01-04T16:59:41Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Minors shouldn’t be allowed on motorcycles. If adults want to needlessly risk life and limb, so be it. > > Though it’s legal, I think it’s reckless to take a kid on a motorcycle. When you consider the legal requirements for child safety devices in automobiles, it’s insane that they’re allowed on motorcycles at all. I completely agree. Utterly irresponsible. > [@epbrown01](#): > > Was he not? > > And way to go, Norman! 🆒 They were wearing jeans and T-shirts with [this style helmets](http://houseofharley.com/en/products/women/helmets/98223-10VW__harleydavidson-womens-destination-half-helmet-9822310vw?) (not even full-face,though at least they weren’t [these ridiculous brain buckets](http://www.agingrebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/brain-bucket.jpg) we see so often). No leathers, no knee protection, no riding boots, no gloves. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > From the reports, apparently helmets were worn. With that kind of impact probably the difference to make it survivable at all – regular street riding gear may not have made for much else, even pro gear may only have contained the mangled limbs in one place. > > Good work, **Spiny Norman**. But damn what a terrible way to ring in the year. It’s all speculation of course, but at a minimum there’s a chance he may have merely suffered a broken leg instead of a severed (in at least two places) leg. But at least he and his daughter are alive and don’t seem to have suffered any head trauma, which is the most important thing. Thanks for all the kudos for **Spiny**. He really went into action. I, on the other hand, did nothing but gawk. Since I stayed in to talk to the 911 operator while he ran out immediately to help, by the time I got out there, there were already pros at the scene, so there was no need for me to get in their way. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/13 "2014-01-04T18:06:51Z")
Thanks for all the kind words, but I still maintain that the kudos goes to the guy who commandeered somebody else’s belt and got that tourniquet on. At this point I’m just glad they pulled through - effin’ heartbreaking to hear them call out to each other like that, although I didn’t think about that at the time. 2014 is bound to improve. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/14 "2014-01-05T18:14:22Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > … What the reporter didn’t put in the story was that her femur was protruding from her leg,… The article says “King’s daughter suffered a compound fracture of her left leg”. A compound fracture is one where the bone is protruding, so, yes the reporter _did_ put it in there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/15 "2014-01-06T09:37:54Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Minors shouldn’t be allowed on motorcycles. If adults want to needlessly risk life and limb, so be it. This reminds me of a line by Seth Myers on _Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee_, where he told Seinfeld “[motorcycles] are the cigarettes of transportation.” ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/16 "2014-01-06T18:42:53Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > This reminds me of a line by Seth Myers on _Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee_, where he told Seinfeld “[motorcycles] are the cigarettes of transportation.” No cite for where this originated but I’ve heard them referred to as “donor-cycles”. WTG to Spiny Norman and everyone else who helped the guy :(. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/17 "2014-01-06T20:01:29Z")
Well done! ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/18 "2014-01-07T01:35:18Z")
May this be the worst thing that happens to all four of you ( **Spiny** , **Shayna** , the cop, and his daughter) for the rest of the year. Good work, both of you; Spiny for helping at the scene, and \*\*Shayna \*\*for calling the pros. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/19 "2014-01-11T23:54:41Z")
Thank you for all the kind words, everyone. I just came from the meeting our district’s councilman holds every month and gave a presentation about this accident and another one, and the dangers of this intersection. I asked for a protected left-turn arrow to be installed, a longer yellow to allow enough time to get all the way through before it turns red for those who are too close to the intersection to stop without risking being rear-ended, a 2 to 3-second delay between the red and giving opposing traffic a green light, and red light cameras to deter red light-runners. Everyone was very supportive of all those suggestions, including our councilman. That intersection belongs to Cal-Trans, however, so this will have to go up the chain to get any action on it. In the meantime, we’re going to ask for the police to spend more time watching that intersection and issuing citations if need be. Wish us luck! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855/20 "2014-01-12T00:21:22Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I asked for… a longer yellow to allow enough time to get all the way through before it turns red… People will abuse that. There will still be cars going through on red. A delay between the red and the opposing green is a good one. Harder to cheat it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiny-norman-helps-save-lapd-detective-maimed-in-nys-eve-motorcycle-crash-edited-title/677855.md?page=2)